Refrigerating system



No ,u

C.v STEENSTRUP REFRIGERATING SYSTEM `Original Filed April 16. 1929 Dec. 18, 1934.

v Inventor-z Christ-i an Steen strup.

H is Attov'rey.

Patented Dec. Y18, 1934 REFBIGERATING SYSTEM Christian Steenstrup, Schenectady, N. Y., assigner to General Electric Companyya corporation oi New York original applicants April is, 1929, serial No. 355,551. Divided and this application August 3, 1931, serial No. 554,623

13 Claims.

My invention relates generally to refrigerating systems.

An object of my invention is to utilize the walls of the housing or cabinet of my improved system for cooling the condenser thereof.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a .vertical sectional view of a water cooler embodying the novel -featuresrof my improved refrigerating system; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lower portion of the housing of the water cooler, and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. I

Although my improved refrigerating system is applicable to many other forms of devices, for convenience in illustration, I have shown the same in the drawing in connection with a water cooler stand in which water is supplied to the cooling unit of the system from an inverted bottle supported over the same. This water cooler stand includes a. housing or cabinet in the upper portion 10' of which an inverted bottle of water 11 is supported with the mouth thereof immersed in the cooling unit 12 of the refrigerating system so as to maintain the water level therein approximately as indicated at 13. The cooling unit is provided with an evaporator chamber 14 for cooling the water in the unit and cold water is withdrawn therefrom at a. push button faucet 15 for lling a glass 16, or other vessel, which is supported in a depressed, perforated top 17 of a waste water receptacle 18 which is removably supported on the housing 10 at 19.

Any suitable refrigerating apparatus may be used to produce the desired refrigerating eifect in the evaporator chamber 14, but I prefer toy employ a construction similar to that described casing 20 and serve to support a condenser pipe coil 25, one end of which communicates with the casing at 26, and the other end of lwhich communicates with a float chamber 27 from which liquid refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator draft of air flows upwardly between the ns and between the condenser and the casing, at the same time drawing air into the space between them through the turns of condenser pipe.

In accordance with my present invention, I

provide openings in the housing 10, and arrange the casing 20 and the condenser 25 in such relation to these openings as to induce suflicient flow 0f air through the housing by natural draft to cool the casing and condenser.' In the construction shown, I do this by making the lower end of the housing 10open, and providing horizontal louvers 30 in the rear wall thereof, a lower group of which direct air into the housing 10, and the remainder of which direct air outwardly therefrom. The circulation of air through the housing is further facilitated by vertically arranged louvers 31 in the side walls of the housing.` The casing 20 and condenser 25 are arranged so that air can flow freely into the lower end of the space between the casing and the condenser from the bottom of the housing, and from the lower group 0f louvers v30 in the rear wall of the housing 10. The air flowing between the condenser pipe coil and the casing 20 which flows by natural draft, cools them and is then discharged from the housingthrough the upper group of louvers and the louvers 31 in thev side wall thereof.

yIn order-to utilize the surfaces of the housing or cabinet 10 for cooling the condenser of the refrigerating system, I extend 'a pipe coil 32,

which is connected Vbetween the lower end of the,

condenser 25 and the oat chamber 27 and forms part. ofthe condenser of the refrigerating system, about theinner walls of the housing 10 and secure the same in good thermal ,contact with these walls throughout a considerable portion of its length .45

10, as such movement is very noticeable due to in many instances, as for example when the water cooler is placed in an omce. I, therefore, resiliently support the casing 20 enclosing the motor 21 and compressor 22 in the lower portion of the housing on two flexible members 34 which are preferably substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the compressor. These flexible members, or cables, are secured at the ends therecables so as to compress the same and thereby form a secure connection therewith. 'I'he strips 39 are welded to the casing 20 so that the unitary structure including the casing, 20, cooling fins and condenser pipe coil 25 is resiliently supported in the lower part of the housing 10.

The compressor 22 withdraws vaporized refrigerant from the evaporator chamber 14 through a pipe 41 which communicates at one end with the upper end of the evaporator chamber at 42, and

with the intake connection of the compressorl indicated at 43 in the closed casing 20, the pipe 41 being formed with a coil 44 secured at one end to the frame 35 at 45, so as to permit free'movement of the casing 20 on its resilient support. 'I'he connection between the condenser pipe coil 25 and the extension 32 of the condenser includes a pipe coil 32' which also permits free movement of the casing 20 on its resilient support.

I provide a simple water cooling unit which can be readily and cheaply produced. This construction `is described and claimed' in my application for Letters .Patent Serial No. 356,551, iiled April '16, 1929, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application, which is a division thereof.

The water cooling unit includes receptacles 46 and 47, fitting one within the other and spaced apart to form the evaporator chamber 14. The inner receptacle 46 is secured `to the bottom of the outer receptacle 47 and an'outlet opening 48 l is formed therein to receive the connection 49 through which water is withdrawn from the water cooler at the faucet l5. The upturned mouth of the inner receptaclel 46 is expanded to form a seat 49 for a rubber, or other resilient ring,'50, on which an inverted bottle or other suitable water container is supported with the mouth thereof immersed in the water cooling unit so as to maintain the level therein about as indicated at 13. In this construction the water is'cooled in flowing over the surface of the cooling unit in anattenuated stream by a circuitous, or roundabout, path from the cup 51 through the opening .52 therein tothe faucet so as to most effectively utilize the cooling surfaces of the unit. In this way surfaces of the water cooling unit are made readily accessible for cleaning.

In the operation of the water cooler' which I have described vaporlzed refrigerant is withdrawn from the evaporator chamber 14 by the compressor 22 through the suction pipe' 41 and coil 44, it is then discharged into the casing from whence it iiows to the condenser 25 and the extension thereof 32. The condensed liquid refrigerant then flows to the iioat chamber 27 from which it is supplied to the evaporator chamber 14 through the pipe 28 and connection 29. The

motor 21 which drives the compressor 22 is intermittently Voperated to maintain thedesired through the outlet 49. In this. way the cooling unit is utilized most eiectively to cool the water withdrawntherefrom as it must flow in a thin or attenuated stream by a circuitous path over the surfaces ofthe cooling unit. Upon the water level in the cup 51 being lowered belowthe mouth of the inverted bottle 1l air is admitted thereto and water flows into the cup until the reduction in-pressure above the water level in the bottle is equal -to the head' of water between the level of the water in the bottle and the cup. l

Although I have shown my improved system in connection with a bottle water cooler it is apparent that many of the features thereof can be used for other purposes. I do not, therefore,

desire my invention to be limited to the particular arrangement shown and described and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1. A refrigerating system including a cabinet, a compressor arranged in said cabinet and having a condenser coil arranged about said compressor and spaced therefrom, and another condenser coil in heat conducting relation with the wall of said cabinet so` as to provide for the conduction of heat from said condenser to the wall of said cabinet for cooling said condenser.

2. A refrigerating system including a cabinet, a compressor, a casing enclosing said compressor, said compressor and casing being arranged in said cabinet, an. air cooled condenser arranged about said casing and having a plurality of convolutions arranged between said casing and the wall of said cabinet and in contact with the wall of said cabinet, so as to provide for conduction of heat from said condenser coil to the wall of said cabinet for cooling said condenser coil.

3. A refrigerating system including a cabinet. a closed casing in said cabinet having a compressor therein, said casing having heat radiating fins thereon and a condenser arranged in said cabinet and'carried by said iins, said condenser having an extended portion in contact for a considerable portion of its length with the inside of the wall of said cabinet so as to provide for conduction of heat from said condenser to the wall of said cabinet for cooling said condenser.

4. A refrigerating system including a cabinet.

a closed casing in said cabinet having a comi from said condenser to the wall of said cabinet e for cooling said'condenser.

5. A refrigerating system including a cabinet having a refrigerated compartment and another compartment, an evaporator in said refrigerated compartment, and means arranged in said other compartment and including a condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator, said condenser having an extended portion in heat conducting relation with the wall of said cabinet for utilizing the wall of said cabinet to dissipate heat from said condenser.

6. A refrigerating system includinga cabinet having a refrigerated compartment Vand another compartment, an evaporator in said refrigerated compartment, and means arranged in said other compartment and including a condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator, said condenser being in the form of a coil and having a plurality of convolutions in contact with the wall of said cabinet for utilizing the wall of said cabinet to dissipate heat from said condenser.

'7. A refrigerating system including a cabinet having a refrigerated compartment and another 1 compartment, an evaporator in said refrigerated compartment, ,and means arranged in said other compartment for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator, said means including a conduit in heat conducting relation with an extended surface of the wall of said cabinet for dissipating heat from said means.

8. A refrigerating system including a cabinet, means arranged in said cabinet and including a condenser for supplying refrigerant, said condenser having an extended portion in heat conducting relation with the wall of said cabinet for utilizing the wall of said cabinet to dissipate heat from said condenser.

9. A refrigerating system including a cabinet, means in said cabinet for supplying refrigerant,

said means including a conduit in heat conducting relation with an extended surface of the wall net, means in said cabinet for supplyingrefrigerant, said means including a conduit having a plln'ality of convolutions in heat conducting rclation with an extended surface of the wall of said cabinet for utilizing the Wall of said cabinet to dissipate heat from said means.

11. A refrigerating system including a cabinet having a refrigerated compartment, an evaporator in said refrigerated. compartment, and means including a condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator, said condenser having a heat-dissipating portion in heat-conducting relation with the wall of said cabinet for utilizing the -wall of said cabinet to dissipate heat from said condenser.

12. A refrigerating system -including a cabinet-having a refrigerated compartment, an evaporator in said refrigerated compartment, and means including a condenser for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator, said condenser having a heat-dissipating portion in the form of a coil and including a plurality of convolutions of said coil in contact with the wall of said cabinet for utilizing the wall of saidcabinet to dissipate heat from said condenser.

13. A refrigerating system including a-cabinet having a-refrigerated compartment, an evaporator in said refrigerated compartment, and means for supplying refrigerant to said evaporator, said means including a conduit in heatconducting relation with an extended surface of the wall of said cabinet for dissipating heat from said means.

' CHRISTIAN STEENSTRUP. 

